Role of Dental Plaque in the Transmission of Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Abstract

With regard to the role of dental plaque in the transmission of Helicobacter pylori infection, data from the literature vary greatly, owing to differences in sample collection and H. pylori-detecting techniques. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we have determined the incidence of H. pylori colonization in the dental plaque of 31 consecutive patients who underwent gastroscopy. The patients were divided into two groups on the basis of H. pylori infection, determined by Giemsa stain and the rapid urease test: group A made up of 21 H. pylori-positive patients and group B with 10 H. pylori-negative patients. Our PCR assay of dental plaque samples proved negative in all group A subjects but was positive in only one patient in group B. In our study, we found that H. pylori had a low prevalence (3.2%) in the oral cavity, with no significant relationship between gastric mucosa and dental plaque colonization. More comprehensive studies are needed to determine whether dental plaque is an important reservoir in the epidemiology of H. pylori-induced gastric disease.

An evaluation of selected oral health indicators and cariogenic bacteria titer in patients with Helicobacter pylori

“…15 According to other researchers, PCR DNA analysis revealed H. pylori in the oral cavity in 3-89% of cases. 4,7,8,14,16 Such disparate results may be due to different procedures employed for sampling, or a consequence of the primers used. This is because microorganisms similar in shape as well as other urease-producing bacteria may in fact be present in complex biofilm.…”

“…For example, Song et al isolated bacteria from 97% of dental plaque samples and 55% of saliva samples, whereas Cammarota et al confirmed its presence in only 3.2% of dental plaque samples. 7,8 There are some difficulties in comparing these results due to the use of different primers, PCR protocols and sampling techniques. Chamanrokh et al suggested the potential occurrence of non-culture spherical forms in the oral cavity.…”

Association of cagA+ Helicobacter pylori with Adenotonsillar Hypertrophy

“…This pathogen causes one of the most common chronic bacterial infection in humans and it is accepted to have a role in development of chronic gastritis and gastric ulcer (Forman et al 1991;Suerbaum and Michetti 2002). In addition to gastric specimens, detection of H. pylori from different regions such as oral region suggests that the bacterium may lead to a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations (Li et al 1995;Cammarota et al 1996;Mravak-Stipetic et al 1998;Jun et al 2005). The presence of H. pylori in oral samples may be a cause of the high incidence of H. pylori infection in the world (Unver et al 2001;Ozdek et al 2003;Morinaka et al 2003).…”

Investigation of Helicobacter pylori in Laryngeal Papillomatosis

“…CagA protein is present in 60-70% of all strains of H. pylori that is associated with increasing the risk of cancer, developing of atrophic gastritis, forming the ulcer and deferring in recovery, inducting of expression of oncogenes and mutation in p53 gene, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, coronary heart disease, producing of PGE2 and increasing the production of reactive forms of oxygen (5,(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21). In several studies, the presence of H. pylori has been confirmed in oral cavity, dental plaque ,saliva and its colonization in the nose and along with a number of diseases of the throat and larynx (21)(22)(23)(24). H. pylori causes increased proliferation and decreased apoptosis in the tissues of the larynx.…”